The chairman of the National Committee of the Mango Product System, Cornelio Velasquez Castro, said that Chiapas was the main producer and exporter of the Ataulfo mango variety, the fourth biggest producer of mangoes in general at the national level, and that it had positioned itself internationally.
He added that the mango prices were currently excellent; but that the producers from Chiapas were at a disadvantage because the distance they had to cover to market their product was longer than what other producers in the northern states had to cover. Thus, producers from Chiapas had to reduce local prices to remain competitive.
He also assured that they were facing serious problems due to global warming, as it now rained and was cold when it shouldn't have been, which has caused the production from Chiapas to Nayarit to become closer.
That is, currently the coast and Chiapas are in full bloom. Traditionally, Chiapas had an early harvest and was the first state to enter the national and international markets. However, the mango from Chiapas has a great acceptance for its excellent quality.
Since the production of mango has started to overlap, there is an oversupply in the market so prices collapse and producers start making losses and low returns.
Velasquez Castro said the country produced 20 million boxes for export per year and that Chiapas, depending on the climate and the technical assistance, produced about 7 to 8 million cases per year.
Finally, he said that the agribusiness for mango had not taken off because the producer's were better off selling fresh produce, as the plants in Arriaga were unique. Chiapas only exports fresh mango and its main destination is the US market because Europe is more interested in processed mangoes.
